1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a check valve for providing fluid and particulate; and more particularly relates to an insert for a check valve having a duckbill valve for providing fluid and particulate.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
In general, a duckbill valve is known as a valve, manufactured from pliable material, e.g., rubber or synthetic elastomer, and shaped like the beak of a duck. It is commonly used in medical applications to prevent contamination due to backflow. Typically, one end of the duckbill valve is configured to stretch over the outlet of a supply line, conforming itself to the shape of the line, usually round. The other end of the duckbill valve has walls that converge so as to form a flattened end with a slit configured to flex and open. When a fluid is pumped through the supply line and therefore the duckbill valve, the flattened end opens to permit the pressurized fluid to pass. When pressure is removed, however, the duckbill end returns to its flattened shape, preventing backflow. The duckbill valve is similar in function to the mitral valve in the heart. There are many duckbill valves available on the market but none known to the inventors so far that can handle higher than 20 PSI back pressure and large particulates at the same time.
A duckbill valve is known having a rigid support for inserting inside a valve seat. One end of the valve seat has walls that converge so as to form a flattened end with a slit. The rigid support has corresponding walls that also converge so as to form a rectangular opening to pass the fluid and particulates to the valve seat. The rectangular opening is dimensioned with a width of about 3.0 millimeters and length of about 10.0 millimeters to pass particulates that may be the size of about 3.0 millimeters, which is substantially equal to the width.
A patent search was also conducted and some prior art was developed disclosing the following known devices and techniques:
A passive valve is known that is duckbill shaped, used for dispensing fluid with particulates, and included a first body portion having an opening sized to allow the flow of syrup through the opening, and which is increased in size to allow the flow of syrup containing particulates through the opening, so that the larger opening allows the particulate in syrup (such as fruit) to flow out of the first body portion of the valve assembly.
A flexible check valve retention system for drink-container e.g. juice box, is known that includes a snap-fit ring to retain interconnecting flexible check valve and wherein the check valve is designed to dispense liquid, gas, gel, colloid, powder, or particulates.
A self closing valve component for mounting on the end of a tube is known that is made of resilient material, and has a tapered body, a self-closing valve formation, a mouth and fingers that flex outwardly when a pressure of fluid is exerted against their interior surface with its hollow interior chamber. The duckbill dispenser is made of resilient material with multiple elastomeric material panels at outlet, which includes deformable panels deformable to enable adjacent resilient material to flex at preset pressure for enabling outlet to open and which is adapted for use and operation with a viscous fluid such as toothpaste from pliable containers such as tubes and bottles and dispenses liquids, viscous liquids and flowable solids, pastes and creams and the like.
A dispenser valve for a container assembly is known, where a duckbill nozzle dispenses viscous liquids such as liquid soap or the like, and includes a duckbill outlet valve that becomes clogged by the dried residue of the sanitizer, disinfectant, or soap composition or other product that has been dispensed.
A probe tip for inserting into a transfer duckbill valve is known, where a portable duckbill spray device includes the transfer duckbill check valve and a venting check valve which are preferably duckbill valves and wherein the mean diameter of spray particles from the spray nozzle is within the range of about 1 to about 500 mm.
A universal particulate matter delivery device is known having an inlet tube with a duckbill check valve arranged on its discharge end.
A duckbill type check valve is known with curved and resiliently biased closing seal, and include means for pumping slurries containing large solids and which has a flexible wall having sides which form closed geometry which is arcuate in cross-section.
A technique is known related to a method and apparatus for manufacture of duckbill valves, that includes using opposed lips split by applying a high fluid pressure inside the valve, so that the valve supported over outer surface except for end to be split and the valve cannot leak in backward direction.
A fluid product dispenser is known having a duckbill valve, where the dispenser includes a tube wall that opens outside by duckbill valve and is deformed by actuator button that engages tube and compresses discharge channel to expel flowable product.
A nested duckbill valve arrangement is known for insertion into a conduit that are coupled together using a combination of a neck and bead that includes at least two duckbilled check valves nested together and designed so that they can accommodate high pressure and other liquids.
Duckbill check valves and methods of making and using the same are known in which a duckbill check valve is used for dispensing cleaners, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and the like, and includes a body having an inlet at one end and a tapered elastomeric bill formed at an opposite end and which are particularly well suited for dispensing cleaners, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides from the end of a garden hose.
A combined check and pressure release valve is known, including a valve having a duckbill check valve arranged in relation to a push-button compression spring loaded relief valve actuator. The combined check valve and fluid pressure relief valve includes a duck-bill valve whose lips are sealed by back pressure to become check valve.
A duckbill check valve is known that comprises an outlet whose elastic flat-tapered valve body is adhered with two planes mutually to form plane sealing face, and includes a steel flange placed in valve flange of rubber material.
A beverage container is known having an insert with duckbill valves formed in upper and lower moldings, where the container is for carbonated beverages, and includes the duckbill valves being formed integrally in upper and lower casings of hollow float insert.
A duckbill check valve is known having a support arranged in relation thereto, including a plate having holes and ribs.
None of the known prior art developed in the search included a plastic insert that can be used to strengthen a duckbill valve against back pressure, especially where the insert has a special concave shape with a “W” design, which keeps good support for the main check valve but also allows large particulates to pass through the center.